theordinarytruth

[theordinarytruth]

Pirouetting into my dream wardrobe...tulle EVERYTHING!

Ever since I learned that Karlie Kloss thanked ballet training for helping her get into shape for the Victoria Secret fashion show, I’ve been rather fascinated by the form of dance.  Sadly my own foray into ballet didn’t result in a figure suitable for the catwalk, but it was great fun all the same.  For the time being I’ve hung up my ballet shoes, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about the tulle...all the lovely tulle!  

There is something particularly special about a midi-length tulle skirt or dress, no other fabric I have discovered has made me feel like more of a princess.  So here is my rundown of ballet-inspired tulle creations that are available this Spring.

1. Mesh A-Line Skirt with Pleats and an elasticated waist £35, available in Grey and Blush Pink.

I adore the grey shade of this skirt and the length is perfect for the North-East’s attempt at Spring weather.  It’s looking strictly limited online at the moment, but recent trips to store have informed me that there’s plenty still available.  It’s a greatly versatile piece which could be dress up with a light coloured velvet top or worn more casually during the day with a flute-sleeved jumper.  One thing can certainly be relied upon here, M&S quality and a very decent price.  I predict this will be a solid investment!

2. Nine By Savannah Miller for Debenhams Black Cross Detail Body £20

Nine by Savannah Miller is a line that has really caught my attention recently.  In a previous blog I heaped praise upon a lovely dark green velvet item from her Winter collection.  This time around, my focus is upon her sports line.  I really love this body with the cross detailing on the front.  During my (albeit VERY brief) time attending (beginners) ballet classes, I fell in love the humble body; I will always champion an item that is both stylist and practical.  I’d particularly like to style this body with a pleated skirt and a black biker jacket with ankle boots.

3. Time for some serious #wardrobegoals now!  Introducing my ultimate and absolute favourite ballet-inspired brand...Needle and Thread and their VERY aptly named Coppelia dress!

(Currently in Asos’ clearence for £65...and sadly not in my wardrobe due to very limited sizing options...sadface).

Needle and Thread are the ultimate in ballet fashion.  I first discovered this beautiful brand during a turn around London’s Liberty store in Soho.  Their entire line consists of dresses, tops and skirts made from beautiful quality tulle and handcrafted, careful detailing.  Their full price items reflect the sheer quality of the collections and I am absolutely in love.  I see a fine future for myself and Needle and Thread when I win the lottery.  Currently available are an array of beautiful pastel-shaded maxi and midi tulle skirts, embellished short tops and wonderful amalgamations of the two in maxi and midi dress form.  If you’re a fan of tulle, pastel colours, and feeling like a princess...look into this brand now!  You won’t regret it, but your bank balance may!

4. Topshop Tulle Ruched Tunic £22

Right, stick with me on this one...Topshop have styled this on their website over jeans.  To me tulle is a far too beautiful a fabric to be slung over jeans...just no!  I do love this tunic dress though, it has a good oversized fit which would hang nicely over a plain black slip dress and would pair up lovely with ankle boots.  Who says ballet-style has to be completely delicate?

5. Ballet Flats

Admittedly there’s nothing new about ballet flats, they roll around every season and are the go-to shoe of any sensible girl who cannot manage to trek around the streets with her feet permanently in stilettos (that sentence was exclusively inspired by my current binge-watch of Gossip Girl on Netflix...seriously, these ladies never wear flats!).  Just like the skinny jean, the ballet flat is going nowhere, so it’s up to the retailers to find a new way to present the age old favourite.  Here’s two easy-to-wear styles that have caught my eye!

ASOS LINGUINI Lace Up Pointed Ballet Flats £22

Topshop  KISSES Pearl Ballet Shoes £39.00

So there you have it, a very brief window into my love affair with all things ballet and tulle.  Happy shopping!

xxx

[theordinarytruth]

The Velvet Revival

Many years ago, seven to be precise, there was a velvet boom.  As a young shop assistant at Topshop I was surrounded 37.5 hours per week by velvet everything...leggings, skater skirts, skater dresses, bodies, crop tops, bralets.  The world had gone mad for crushed velvet.  Like a true fashion shop employee, the Fashion Gods had spoken and I listened.  My very first foray into velvet was restrained...leggings.  Surely an easy nod to the new trend, yes?  No.  Not easy at all.  

Fast-forward seven years and here I am again.  Surrounded by velvet in every high street shop.  The topic of this blog felt easy to come up with.  So here it is, a guide for how to pull of what seems (on the surface) to be an easy, festive trend...

The Velvet Leggings

Not for the faint-hearted, pair with a cotton t shirt and you’ll find yourself forever pulling said t shirt down as it sticks awkwardly to the leggings, however pair with a shiner top and you should be fine.  Leggings usually suggest comfort and relaxation, however I feel the velvet variety are a bit of a luxury spin on the idea.  I intend to pair mine with heels for an evening and won’t be wearing them after my Christmas dinner with my festive knit. 

(Image is not my own)

This is the pair I purchased at a purse friendly price of £19.00 at Topshop.  I’m not at all comfortable with idea of tucking a top into them, however, as that gives the impression I believe leggings are a replacement for trousers..not so!  

I recently picked up a rather simple, but effective, black top from H&M to pair with the leggings and some caged sandals.

As you can see, the length is more than acceptable to be worn with leggings.  I like the slightly dipped hem at the back and gentle V at the front which allows for a statement necklace (my go-to brand is always Tatty Devine).  Reasonably priced at H&M, £12.99 and part of their Conscious Collection.  

The Velvet Dress

Ah so many to chose from!  I spent time browsing the shops this afternoon and there are many different styles and colours to choose from.  I personally favour anything in a dark velvet - bottle green, navy, deep red/plum, black, as opposed to the light pinks and creams which are in a few shops.  Here’s a pick of my favourite ones so far...

 Back to H&M for this lovely, simple nod to the trend.  Velvet and lace look wonderful together and, as always, H&M offer an accessible price for a trend which may take seven years to come back around again...!

H&M £19.99

(Not overly keen on the boots and bare legs though, would prefer this with thin black tights and ankle boots...)

Over to M&S now.  M&S recently launched their second Archive by Alexa rage which has been rather popular with those wishing to emulate Ms Chung’s style (so...every young woman than?).  Alexa’s take on the velvet trend is a lovely high neck, t shirt style dress.  At £39.50 it’s slightly pricier than the previous, but guarantees lasting M&S quality.  For me this dress has a slightly rockier feel so I’d pair it with bare legs (if attending a party in a very warm place with roaring fires) and chunky ankle boots.  

(Image not my own)

Another navy offering now, this time courtesy of ASOS.  Those who know me well are aware of my never-fading obsession with pleats.  If you, like me, believe that pleats should feature on every dress then look no further than this rather lovely piece...

(Image not my own)

The dress features a lovely high neck and open back situation and may well be my favourite of the three!  Slightly pricier again at £55.00 which, because of the pleated element, I could justify any day of the week!

The Velvet Skirt

Coming straight out of left field now is this rather lovely polka dot, velvet piece from...wait for it...The White Stuff (I know...I’m surprised too!)  

You cannot go wrong with polka dots, ever.  What a lovely idea The White Stuff have had to incorporate them onto their simple, black pencil skirt.  I love it!  This I feel could look rather lovely with a cream blouse, perhaps with a lace trim.  The possibilities for this skirt really are endless.  It’s day appropriate, but so adaptable for evening too.  I’m feeling patented leather Mary Janes on the feet too.  £45.00.

No skirt section is complete without pleats (cue broken record) and Topshop have really nailed it this year with a section of colours, but this is my particular favourite:

I absolutely love the top they’ve styled their midi length, slate grey skirt with, on the whole a very dramatic look.  I cannot forgive the trainers, though, never trainers with pleats!  Yours for £55.00 and may I suggest, for a slightly more casual look, an oversized white pocket tee?

New Look have really ran with the velvet trend this year from tops, to bras, to shoes and bags.  Their website throws up 100s of matches, but one particular stand out for me is this burgundy, textured skirt.  I see the styling possibilities for this particular piece to be endless, blouses, crop jumpers, oversized tees, sequin vests...etc.

£19.99

The Velvet Top

Pairing a velvet top with some black or dark denim skinny jeans is probably the easiest way to buy into the new season trend if you’re still a little uncertain and there are so many options to choose from.  The best one I’ve seen so far comes from Debenham’s collaboration with Savannah Miller.  Her ‘Nine’ range has caught my eye on a number of occasions, most recently with this piece which caused me to release an, ‘Ahhh so pretty,’ in the middle of a busy shop when I was alone...

Now stick with me here, the website lists this beautiful bottle green number as a jacket...but it’s December and quite frankly the idea of wearing something so thin as my only jacket is making me shiver in my toasty flat.  This is a perfect top!  Little lace cami underneath? Black skinny jeans?  High heels?  Lovely!  £45 and coming soon to my wardrobe!

Not convinced by my jacket-as-a-top-idea?  Fine...here are some actual tops.

Back to H&M for a lovely piece combining velvet with spotted mesh and a peplum shape. £24.99.

Also from H&M is this rather lovely draped front body, perfect with jeans or a skirt for a dressier look.  I do love a long sleeve! £24.99.

Now I know I said I was a fan of the darker shades of velvet, however that rule flies out the window for this one exception.  You can always rely on Whistles to bring out a beautifully cut and classic take on a new season trend, and with this dusky pink cami, they’ve done just that.

Yes, it costs £95.00...but think of how many outfits you could build with this cami as a core piece?  You probably wouldn’t need to buy anything to go with it either.  I’m convinced...brb *searches for discount code*

And finally...

Christmas is a fantastic time to embrace the velvet trend.  Before I go, though, a quick word of warning to you all, if you’re planning to invest in a velvet piece.  Use a lot of conditioner on your hair...velvet = static!

Thanks for reading and drop me a comment if you feel so inclined!

XOX

[theordinarytruth]

My Summer Highlights, Part One

…mostly in pictures.  Allow me to explain further. Because of an unexpectedly busy summer, I ended up falling off the blog wagon somewhat.  Occasions I wanted to blog about came and went and I tried to find the time to sit and write, but couldn’t.  So this brings me neatly to what I’ve about to do now, my summer in pictures…slightly in order, maybe not…but here they are!

The Suicide Squad Screening

One of the first events I attended during my month-long stay in London was the Suicide Squad screening in Leicester Square.  August in London was everything you’d expect it to be, extremely hot and very busy.  The screening was at 7:30…but since it was still oppressively hot at that time, I decided to wear some basic denim shorts and this light blue H&M trend shirt with the ruffle detail on the back.  I’d picked up the shirt a few days before in sale for £10, looking forward to unrolling the sleeves and working it into my Autumn/Winter rotation with dark denim skinny jeans.  The screening was a new experience for me - my first actually.  Colour me ten shakes of surprised when out popped the cast!

Margot Robbie looked fantastic in a pair of mom jeans, longline blazer and flats, perfect laid-back look.  I’d like to say I was cool, calm and collected to be metres away from the cast…but I wasn’t…this might be photo 3 of 300!

Walthamstow Nights

While I was in London I stayed in Higham’s Park with my sister and brother in law.  Walthamstow is a short bus ride away and has long been considered the ‘new area to be’.  As a result there are plenty of places to explore.  I particularly love Mirth for a cocktail, Sodo for an amazing sourdough pizza, Today Bread for a cappuccino (my sister also likes picking up fresh bread from there) and Eat 17 in Walthamstow Village for a fancier meal out.  On this particular evening we had a mooch around the Friday Night food market and had some drinks at Mirth.  

Brighton Beach 

Beautiful Brighton is only a short train ride form London and I’d never been!  We spent the day as one should when by the sea, sunbathing on deckchairs, playing in the amusement arcade, eating fish and chips, mooching round Brighton’s lovely independent shops and drinking wine in the sunshine. Our visit happened to coincide with Pride, which created a wonderful, noisy and busy atmosphere!  One thing I certainly missed about living where I currently do is the sea, so it was nice to hop on the train for the day and be by the coast.

My brother-in-law took these pictures of me and my sister, we look like we’re abroad!

The Olympic Park 

Four years on and Olympic spirit is still well and truly apparent in the Olympic Park.  During my stay I visited quite often and enjoyed walks around the busy park and nearby canal.  Couldn’t resist a little touristy picture by the rings!

The Bomber

After an epic wander around White City Westfield Shopping Centre, I quickly discovered that bombers weren’t just a flash in the plan.  I’ve always been keen on their style, but the sensible girl in me said I had too many jackets and probably didn’t need another.  That was until I clapped eyes on this bad lad in the Topshop sale.  Since purchasing I’ve rarely been seen without it, it’s also the perfect colour for my favourite Autumn/Winter shades…I think we’ll call it an investment piece!

The Topshop/Topman Summer Party

Mid-August I was invited to the Topshop/Topman summer party.  The company had hired Dalston Roof Terrace,  laid on drinks and sliders with a DJ until 11.  It was a great night for outfit spotting!

Can’t think of a better occasion for my new bomber!

And that’s all for part one!  The pressure of having iCloud open and trying to type is just too much for my aging laptop!  Check back soon for part two!

xoxo

[theordinarytruth]

Denim Days...

I’m a self-confessed denim fanatic.  Jackets, shirts, shorts, skirts, dresses…and obviously jeans.  No outfit is harmed by the addition of a good piece of denim, in my opinion.  Fashion denim, however, is something I completely draw the line on.  Keep your arty bleach stains, your several rips (I’ll get on to that), your rhinestones (THE HORROR), and your slogan rears (THE ABSOLUTE HORROR).  So it was with trepidation last week that I succumbed to a pair of jeans that I would describe as ‘fashion jeans’.

I’m a skinny jeans girl, have been for the last 10 years easily.  Not slim, not boyfriend, not tapered, not bootcut (yikes), not flared.  Skinny.  Always.  They’re just so easy to wear, want to be casual…great, add a stripy top or simple cotton t shirt and you’re set, add Converse, even better!  Want to be dressy?  No problem, a heeled sandal (not court shoe) looks great with a well-chosen dressy top!  

The only time in my ten year love affair with the skinny jeans that I���ve ever strayed into the ‘fashion denim’ arena was with some ripped jeans.  I draw the line at a single rip on each knee…any more than that and you might as well be wearing shorts. 

Recently, however, a new type of style has been catching my eye…a one that I’ve found impossible to ignore.  Every time I open a magazine…there it is…every time I stroll down the high street…there it is…the ‘mom’ jean.   It’s far to say that over the last month or so I’ve circled this trend, observed it from a far…questioned whether I was ready for a change in style from my trusted skinny jeans that had been so loyal to me for all these years.  I settled on trying a pair on…simple colouring, nothing bleached (I hadn’t forgotten myself entirely…!).  Of course I bought them…so surprised I was by the shape and cut of them.  

Though my foray into the ‘mom’ jean is in its infant stages, I have established some rules for myself…allow me to elaborate.

1) I have found that I prefer only two ways of styling my top half when wearing the ‘mom’ jeans…something I can tuck in (a longer length t-shirt or a body) or something cropped.  

2) Because of the naturally roomier style, I’m finding a belt to be absolutely necessary, I love my gold plaited belt; it adds a slightly more dressier edge.

3) Turn them up…twice is good, any more and I run the risk of them looking half mast! 

Here’s my most recent look…

This was a Sunday-look for a lunch with friends.  You may remember from my last blog that North East summers demand jackets…I quite like how the smartness of this one helps to dress up the jeans a bit more…likewise the casual nature of the jeans take away ‘'work jacket’ vibes.  

My verdict on the ‘mom’ jean is YES!  Comfy, can be casual, can be dressy…just like the skinny jean!  This week I’m going to test drive them with heels and see how they get on…stay tuned! 

And finally…

Myself and the blog are on tour for the summer.  I’ve relocated to London for the month of August and already have plenty of blog ideas for my weekly updates.  Keep coming back, keep reading sharing and commenting if you like what you read…if you don’t, help me to improve, tell me if there’s something you want to read about! 

XOXO

[theordinarytruth]

Dressing for a North East Summer...

This morning I woke up with the sun pouring through my window, warming up the whole room and making me feel rather excited about the day ahead.  Perhaps I could go for a stroll on the beach?  Or maybe to my favourite spot in the park to read my book on my picnic blanket.  At 7:50am the outdoor possibilities seemed somewhat endless.  

Now, however, it’s 9:50am and I’m staring at a whole host of black clouds just outside of my window.  Dreams.  So how do you prepare yourself for summer dressing in the North of England?  Simple really, develop a thick skin and embrace the layers!

Here’s a good example of an outfit that would need a North-East twist.

Shorts: H&M - £7.99

Lace top: H&M - by way of eBay

Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs - Secondhand

Sandals: New Look - £19.99

Sunglasses: RayBan Wayfarers - in the region of £80

Necklace: Tatty Devine - handmade by me during a workshop.

So how would I make this outfit North East Weatherproof?  

I’d start by adding a closed toe shoe to the mix - something metallic as I love that look in the summer time.  With a closed toe I’m going to be far less bothered when the sudden summer showers begin!  

Here’s some lovely options:

Head Over Heels by Dune at ASOS (image via ASOS.com) - £29.  

I love the shape of this shoe, very flattering and might just show of the small amount of ‘foot tan’ I have!  Rose gold is a lovely shade too, matches so nicely with black, navy and cream.

Next is a decent jacket item.  Granted the weather in the North East is erratic and can be chilly...however at the moment it’s far too warm to roll out my beloved leather jacket.  For this outfit I’d move to my other summer staple - a must in any wardrobe...a jacket so fine and so simple that it will match any outfit...seriously...I’m yet to find something it won’t go with!  I’m, of course, talking about the humble denim jacket.

Ahhh...so simple...yet so pretty...but also so practical!  This little beauty comes from New Look!  (Image is New Look’s own)  At the moment it’s in the sale for only £9 - staggering.  I bought mine a few months ago for the princely sum of £22.99 - can’t really argue with that price point since I’ve pretty much worn it every day since it’s purchase.  This particular piece is from their petite range (which at 5′5′’ I am not), I like the cropped style of it as I’m a huge fan of all things high-waisted on the bottom

And finally...all that’s left to do now is add a scarf.  In research for this particular blog it became quickly apparent that I have a rather large and (some may say) unhealthy obsession with scarves...I mean who wouldn’t?  They’re a perfect addition to any outfit - get the pattern just right and you’re set!  I love a versatile scarf that can be worn all year round, but they can be hard to come by.  For me it’s all about the print and the size...which led me to this bad boy...

Ahhh H&M you can literally do no wrong!  (Image is H&M’s own)

 Clashing patterns is a delicate art.  I find that the colour combinations have to work and clashing your lower half with something higher up is easier - it’s far away enough to work.  So I suggest this beautiful item to wrap around your neck as the North East summer chill sets in.  It’s a complete steal on their website at only £4.79...BRB...just going to order one at lightening speed...I’m sure there’s a gap in my scarf collection just waiting for a print and colour combo just like this...I’m certain of it!!!

So there you have it!  A whistle-stop guide into creating a more versatile, weather appropriate look!

xox

[theordinarytruth]

Tatty Take over

So one of my favourite things about the North East of England is Newcastle/Gateshead Quayside. I love a good stroll down there on a sunny day, the bridges provide the most beautiful backdrop and I’ve been known to spend Hours meandering down there, coffee in hand.

Another lovely part of the Quayside is the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art…which is where I found myself yesterday!

In July Tatty Devine (my most favourite jewellery designers) announced that they would be taking over the Baltic on Sunday 4th October. I was delighted, not only would they be hosting three wonderful jewellery making workshops, but there’d also be an exclusive talk with Rosie and Harriet (the founders of Tatty Devine). I had to be there! The last workshop they held at the Baltic was two years ago and just before I won a special customer award.

In September, for my birthday, my sister and brother in law gave me tickets for both events. I was ecstatic and the countdown began!

So after what felt like years and years, the day had finally arrived! The workshop was brilliant and allowed me to see first hand the careful work that goes into creating these special items of jewellery. Carefully I created a most beautiful parakeet necklace on a gold chain. During the workshop Team Tatty mingled checking we were making our necklaces correctly to ensure we left with a high quality product. While we worked away it was lovely to talk to the members of the team and Rosie and Harriet. All the girls made us feel very relaxed and it was great to hear about how passionate they are about creating links in the north - I feel confident there’ll be more sell-out workshops in the future.

Next came the talk. I’m not an arty girl and I’m not business minded, but I love the humble tale of Tatty Devine’s beginnings. Rosie and Harriet talked with passion, enthusiasm and charisma as they regaled us with tales of market stall success and anecdotes of their early success - all without the help of the Internet.

Rosie and Harriet have long been an inspiration to myself. I love their creativity - that ability to take something so simple and every day and turn it into such a huge talking point. Their jewellery has given me confidence during times when I’ve had very little and above all, it’s my art collection! I’ve supported Tatty Devine since a chance discovery in 2005, I’ve excitedly waited for new collections, felt large amounts of rage at certain high street brands for issues I won’t discuss and, above all, still get that buzz when I open the little black boxes to see what’s inside.

Yesterday was a completely special day for such a large fan like myself. Meeting Rosie and Harriet and listening to their story really was inspiring and I left the Baltic with a lovely warm feeling.

Another lovely day in the North ☺️

[theordinarytruth]

Some photos from yesterday's workshop!